Portland Farmers Markets/Direct-Market Economic Analysis
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL
FARMERS MARKETS
September, 2008
Prepared for:
By:
In association with:
City of Portland
Farmers’ Markets America
Barney & Worth, Inc.
Page
I.
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 1
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1
Summary of Findings ........................................................................................................ 1
II.
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5
III.
Farmers Markets Analysis.............................................................................................. 6
Multi-Market Systems in Peer Cities ................................................................................ 6
Farmers Markets in Portland ............................................................................................ 9
IV.
Characteristics of Successful Farmers Markets ........................................................ 11
What Defines Success: A Farmer's View ...................................................................... 11
Market Research ............................................................................................................ 11
The Right Combination of Characteristics Builds Community ........................................ 13
Characteristic 1: Vendors ................................................................................... 14
Characteristic 2: Product Mix ............................................................................. 15
Characteristic 3: Location ................................................................................... 15
Characteristic 4: Mission .................................................................................... 16
Characteristic 5: Management ........................................................................... 16
Characteristic 6: Value ....................................................................................... 17
Characteristic 7: Partnerships ............................................................................ 17
Characteristic 8: Promotion ................................................................................ 18
Characteristic 9: Economics ............................................................................... 19
Characteristic 10: Public Spaces ......................................................................... 19
Appendices................................................................................................................................ 21
Interview Participants
Resources
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I.
Executive Summary
Introduction
The City of Portland is conducting a study examining the capacity of Portland’s farmers markets
to expand into the future, looking at both local consumer demand and regional farmer/vendor
supply. To complete the study, the City has commissioned a consultant team led by Barney &
Worth, Inc. As part of the study, Farmers’ Markets America interviewed market managers in five
metropolitan areas that might be considered peer cities across the United States as well as the
managers of 14 farmers markets in Portland. The purpose of these interviews was to determine
their critical priorities in the development of successful markets. Also, a Site Evaluation Tool was
developed to prioritize criteria for selecting a good site, and then used to evaluate several
potential new sites in underserved areas of Portland. All these efforts are focused on the
improvement of our local system of farmers markets for the benefit of farmers, other vendors,
consumers and communities throughout Portland.
Summary of Findings
The number of farmers markets across America rose 150% between 1994 and 2006, from 1,755
to 4,385 markets, according to USDA. Portland is no exception. Virtually all of Portland’s markets,
except its oldest now located at PSU, were opened during that period.
The challenge in this study is to understand the key characteristics that make for successful farmers
markets. This summary of key points is a collection of insights provided by local managers
operating 14 markets, five market executive directors who operate 102 farmers markets in the
peer cities studied, and insights from a review of research on the web and prior research by the
author. More detailed discussions can be found in later sections.
Ten key characteristics of successful farmers markets:
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1.
Vendors: Freshness and quality from real farmers are what customers want.
Surveys consistently show that customers go to farmers markets for just-from-the-field
freshness. Managers need to find the right farmers with these high quality products,
effective display, friendly customer service, education and guaranteed satisfaction.
2.
Product mix: The public wants a wide variety of products displayed in abundance.
Aside from freshness, customers want variety and choice. One important reason customers
don’t attend farmers markets is convenience – they want to buy all their food at the same
time. When markets have fruits and vegetables, a certain clientele responds. More attend
with the addition of meats, chicken, seafood, cheese, breads and value-added products.
With competition and multiple product categories, the public has more choice.
3.
Location: High visibility is cheap advertising.
While location alone may not “make” or scuttle a great market, it certainly can hurt many
markets that have otherwise great potential. Key components of a solid location are
sufficient space and parking, visibility to high traffic volume, surface and slope,
atmosphere and signage. Other helpful attributes are vendor access, restrooms, water
and electricity, storage, proximity to business and local landmarks. While permanence isn’t
critical, its absence undercuts a market’s sense of sustainability. Strong markets gain
policymakers’ support for permanence.
4.
Mission: Clarity of vision / mission is an essential basis for policies and programs.
Everyone in the organization needs to know the goals, who is to be served and how.
Annual planning is a healthy way to respond to new trends and circumstances with an
updated organizational vision. A strong focus on farm vendors is essential.
5.
Management: Professionalism creates sustainability.
Staff who benefit from good training and salaries make long-term commitments to
markets and legitimize many partnerships over time, which leads to more diverse and
effective programming. It is advantageous for vendors and boards to know and trust the
historical perspective of staff, even more so if their organizations operate multiple
markets.
6.
Value: Policymakers will value what customers value.
By their shopping habits, customers show they value the quality and price offered by local
farmers they trust over sources of unknown origin, even though farmers markets can be less
convenient. Cities gain value through local vendors who rotate dollars in the local economy
and attract tourists to participate in local food culture. They show respect for markets’
value to the city by helping with sites, promotion, training, micro-enterprise development
and other aspects that support permanence.
7.
Partnerships: From business sponsors to nonprofits, relationships build stability.
Good markets seek to become the center of community interaction by connecting with all
types of organizations. The goal is to benefit vendors and consumers, but the means to
enlarging the circle depends on the resources and relationships that can be linked.
8.
Promotion: Markets use events and programs to increase demand and supply.
Entertainment and special events attract new customers. If done well, the extra demand
for product will justify expanding the supply chain of vendors with ever-greater diversity
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of products. Adding vendors without customers can threaten existing producers. Creative
programming addresses the public desire for education and enjoyment.
9.
Economics: Good markets have solid financial plans for the future.
A stable market must balance expenses with income, primarily from vendor fees. They
must be able to cover staff salaries, insurance, promotions and other essentials without
depending too heavily on grants, sponsorships, sales of promotional items, etc. The best
markets reserve funds to counteract market downturns and provide a pool of development
funds for expansion to serve more customers.
10.
Public Spaces: Markets contribute to – and benefit from – active public spaces.
Successful markets have an atmosphere that calls people to participate and explore –
they help activate public places. Cities that are sensitive to their farmers markets’
community-building contributions respond by developing places that are more people
friendly. The historical Market Street is returning to America – from Bellingham,
Washington and Davis, California to Eau Claire, Wisconsin – a marketplace that
acknowledges the true value that an agri-culture brings to us all.
Successful Farmers Markets – Key Characteristics
Vendors
Good product mix
Visible location
Clarity of vision / mission
Professional management
Provide value to customers and community
Build partnerships
Promotion
Solid financial plan
Vibrant public space
Portland’s Farmers Markets
Portland’s markets are generally young, from brand new up to 15 years old. The eldest is
comparable to two of the peer cities’ market systems studied – the Pleasanton market in the Bay
Area (1992) and University District market in Seattle (1993). Two others studied are in their late
20s – Sacramento and Santa Monica – having opened in 1980 and 1981. The final peer city
market system is the elder statesman with 156 years of operating experience – St. Paul.
The markets studied in Portland and nationally have various organizational formats, including
several types of non-profit organizations, an agricultural cooperative, a city-run market system, a
worksite market run by a large organization and one run by a food cooperative. There are
notable differences in the organizations but none that seem to preclude success.
One defining difference between the Portland markets and the peer cities market systems is that
most local managers have relatively little experience in market management versus the
considerable experience among most of the five peer cities executive directors who have been
with their organizations virtually from their founding.
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Generally, the Portland area markets are each operated independently with their own decisionmaking bodies. Only the Portland Farmers Market with its four locations differs from that
predominant structure, making it more like the peer cities’ systems studied. The five peer cities
have stable, long-term staff who receive livable wages, and the strength of one or more
flourishing markets that can provide the financial stability to underperforming markets. Portland’s
system of independently run farmers markets might benefit in the following ways by emulating the
peer cities, combining markets to provide stable leadership, and secure financial support of
smaller markets by the larger ones.
The next sections provide various insights on how Portland might improve its farmers market
system. They include a more detailed discussion of the results of the local manager interviews and
peer cities executive interviews conducted in April and May 2008 for the Portland Farmers
Markets/Direct-Market Economic Analysis, as well as observations from the various resources
reviewed. A list of interview participants, used resources and survey questions appear as
appendices.
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II.
Introduction
The City of Portland promotes the development of farmers markets to enhance the lives of its
citizens and support local agriculture. To evaluate the potential to expand Portland’s existing
farmers markets and start new ones, The Office of Sustainable Development (OSD) and Portland
Development Commission are conducting a Portland Farmers Markets/Direct-Market Economic
Analysis.
To complete the study, the City has commissioned a consultant team led by Barney & Worth, Inc.,
with consulting partners Farmers’ Markets America, Globalwise, Inc. and Bonnie Gee Yosick, LLC.
In March through May of 2008, Farmers’ Markets America conducted interviews with 13 Portland
market managers and five market directors who operate farmers markets in comparable U.S.
cities, as well as reviewing research on the web and within its own company resources.
All interview participants were asked about characteristics of their farmers markets, followed by
governance and organization, market volume and growth, customers, success factors and
public/government involvement. The issues covered in the interviews are explored in prior reports
and some in later sections of this report.
The observations and insights offered by these individuals enables the consultants to evaluate and
compare the organizational strength of Portland farmers markets with other significant market
cities. This report reflects the advice and attitudes of the individuals interviewed but is not
intended as a scientifically valid comparison and examination of farmers markets nationwide.
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III.
Farmers Markets Analysis
Multi-Market Systems in Peer Cities
The Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association (PCFMA) may be the largest multi-farmers market
organization in the United States, operating 54 markets in 44 Bay Area communities, each with
their own name and identity. Together, they do $30 million sales throughout the Bay Area, where
several similar organizations operate. The top five PCFMA markets gross $2+ million each in
annual sales. This 501(c)(5) has a board of 10 with 34 staff in one office.
The Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance in Seattle is a similar, yet smaller, organization with
seven markets (all in Seattle), totaling $5.1 million in sales. The University District market is the
oldest and strongest, yet no more than three times the size of its youngest sibling market. This
501(c)(3) with a board of 13 received (until recently) $40,000 annual support from the City and
market start-up funds.
At the other end of the spectrum, the downtown St. Paul Farmers Market yields half the $20
million in sales of the 17 markets it operates, four in St. Paul and 13 in other cities. Its year-round
market building is a destination market with a 156-year history and 6,000 available parking
spaces that allow it to hit 18,000 customers on a Saturday. It has a board of 9 under a 501(c)(5)
organizational structure.
Santa Monica’s principal market on Wednesday has a majority of the $11 million sales among its
four city sites. Each is resilient with sales above $1 million annually. Four City of Santa Monica
Economic Development Department staff each run one profitable market.
The Sacramento Farmers Market Association has 10 markets, five inside and five outside the City
of Sacramento. This 521 agricultural cooperative does not have sales data from vendors, but its
largest market underneath the I80/I50 freeway reaches 110 vendors at peak. The system is
probably somewhere between Santa Monica and St. Paul in total sales.
PEER CITIES SIZE & STRUCTURE CHARACTERISTICS
Characteristics Structure Markets in City Markets outside City Total Sales Total Vendors in System Vendors in Best Market SEATTLE 501(c)(3) 7 ST. PAUL 501(c)(5) 4 SACRAMENTO 521 5 BAY AREA 501(c)(5) N/A SANTA MONICA Econ Dev Dept 4 0 13 5 54 0 $5.1 Mil 136 63 $20 Mil 150 120 N.A. 120 110 $30 Mil 475 56 $11 Mil 200 78 All executive directors acknowledge the need to accommodate the needs of diverse vendors.
They vary booth size according to vendor product. Looking at the chart line immediately above,
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of the Pleasanton (Bay Area) market’s 56 vendors, 44 have double stalls that fill the market’s 100
available spaces. Seattle has only four spaces that are 15 ft. instead of the normal 10 ft. booth
to fill their 65 spaces. Santa Monica has 27 doubles and 29 triples or larger that fill 78 “spaces”
which are defined according to vendor needs since they collect percentage booth fees. St. Paul
allows up to 60 doubles and 10 triples that fill 154 spaces. About 25% of Sacramento’s vendors
have doubles within the 200 spaces.
Looking at the characteristics chart below, four market systems operate one or more of their
strong markets year-round, but also operate seasonal markets. Santa Monica has the benefit of
being amidst substantial year-round production areas, and operates all four city markets yearround.
The other cities’ smaller markets lack enough customers and/or farmers to make year-round
operation feasible. In both St. Paul and Sacramento, the shortest season markets last only three
months. Sacramento operates three levels of markets: 1) one short evening market (June-August)
until school starts; 2) five May-to-October markets that act as a release valve for year-round
market crowds; and 3) four year-round markets that become stronger when seasonal markets
close.
Many of the Bay Area markets have always been year-round benefiting from strong production
close by; others are 5-month markets. Seattle began year-round operation of its University
District market in the winter of 2006-07 and West Seattle market the following winter after
testing vendor / customer interest. The larger markets are the best candidates for season
extension, maintaining enough vendors to sustain consumer interest. Their other markets generally
run four or five months.
The peer cities confirm that, with enough vendor and customer support, markets can operate yearround, and gain customers (and vendors) from seasonal markets when they close. One study has
shown that 44% of the population is supportive of farmers markets, but their loyalty is not all the
same. Broken out further, 18% are very loyal, but 26% have their loyalty moderated by
convenience. Thus, when smaller markets close for the season, it is the 18% who feed into the
larger, longer-season markets.
PEER CITIES OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Characteristics Longest Market Season Shortest Market Season # of Staff Levels Advertising (2007) Markets Projected 2013 SEATTLE 52 20 ST. PAUL 52 13 SACRAMENTO 52 13 BAY AREA 52 21 6 5 4 staff 8 5 $71,575 9 $85,000 20+ $100,000 10 $120,000 80 $0 4 Portland Farmers Markets/Direct-Market Economic Analysis
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SANTA MONICA 52 52 7
Each peer community farmers market organization has from four to eight staff levels. Most
executive salaries include a benefit package, except St. Paul (and Sacramento unknown). The
executive directors have an average 19 years of experience. Some other staff are salaried with
benefits as well.
The market systems have small advertising budgets relative to total sales; St. Paul and PCFMA
invest about 0.4% of sales while Seattle invests 1.4%. They all have substantial free media
coverage that augments their paid advertising campaigns, except Santa Monica which spends
$6,000 / year on promotions, but invests nothing on advertising because “we’re in the paper
everyday”. Advertising / promotions budgets range from 7% to 50% of the reported total
organizational budgets.
Starting in 1981, Santa Monica developed four stable markets in three areas of the city. It has no
expansion plans in spite of being the most popular site for 85% of Santa Monica residents who
go to one of the farmers markets regularly, a total of one million visits per year.
Seattle, beginning in 1993, has done careful planning. The market managers feel stretched in
their resources. Seattle has largely followed a 10-year plan commissioned in 2000, adding a
new market every other year. They envision starting only two more markets in the next five years,
despite numerous requests from communities asking for help in developing new markets.
Sacramento also expects to add only a pair of markets by 2013. It seems constrained by the
small staff (only four) and by limited financial resources given fairly low booth rates not tied to
farmer sales (no percentage fee). Their board of five has few meetings, leaving the executive to
make most management decisions.
St. Paul develops new markets after several years of careful consideration; they envision growth
of about one market a year. Surrounding cities approach St. Paul with their development desires
because of their producer focus. One bedroom community now has two markets, and St. Paul is
looking for a new site with substantial parking to meet city requirements.
The Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association, founded in 1992, is comparatively aggressive with
its development plans, competing with several other Bay Area market associations for city
contracts with substantial development budgets. PCFMA has added several markets every year
and 10 in 2007 alone. Its board of 10 farmers and other professionals (including an attorney
and accountant) actively plan the future with an annual multi-day retreat. They developed the
Kaiser Permanente relationship for worksite markets that has spread to several other states. They
use their larger markets to subsidize small markets like those at Kaiser facilities and particular
neighborhoods because of their organizational confidence and efficiencies.
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Peer Cities' Best Market
Vendor Breakdown by Percentage
Vendor Type
Farmers
Ranchers
Cheese/dairy/eggs
Value-added
Bread/baked goods
Hot/ready-to-eat
Fish/seafood
Crafts/artisans
Local business
Non-profit/other
Seattle
59%
6%
14%
9%
9%
3%
3%
St. Paul
56%
9%
12%
7%
5%
4%
1%
3%
2%
Sacramento Bay Area Santa Monica
86%*
53%
80%*
1%
3%
4%
3%
5%
9%
*
20%
*
6%
7%
3%
3%
1%!
4%
5%
3%
3%
3%
!
-
All five market systems hang their reputations on producers (chart above). From 60% to 93% of
all market vendors at their principal markets are farmers, ranchers and cheese/dairy/egg
producers. If we include value-added producers (jams, vinegars, etc.) and bread makers, the
range is 88% to 97%; Santa Monica and Sacramento markets support value-added products
from farmers only*. Clearly, their mission statements read: “Real food from real producers.”
Three peer market systems are entirely focused on fresh food, not allowing hot food vendors;
again here, Santa Monica shows goodwill by allowing four adjacent restaurants to take turns
each month in one restaurant space. Three do not allow any local business, crafts or non-profits,
and the others severely limit such. Their “purity” may contribute to their success – all have farmer
waiting lists or require them to reapply annually. Success appears to be a circle of farmer interest
and consumer appreciation.
Farmers Markets in Portland
Portland markets are generally focused on farmers and food, as illustrated in the following table.
From 47% to 71% of all 14 markets’ vendors are farmers, ranchers and cheese/dairy/egg
producers. If value-added producers (jams, vinegars, etc.) and bread makers are included, the
range is 62% to 91%. While not as good as the 88% to 97% range of the peer cities’ best
markets, it is still a positive sign that they are substantially directed toward real food producers.
The four Portland Farmers Market locations clearly prohibit crafts and local business.
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Portland Farmers Markets
Vendor Breakdown by Percentage
% Farmers
% Ranchers
% Cheese/dairy/eggs
% Value Added
% Bread/baked goods
% Hot/ready-to-eat
% Fish/seafood
% Crafts/artisans
% Local business
% Non-profit
59
0
6
12
6
12
0
0
0
6
50
5
9
5
14
9
5
0
0
5
48
4
7
9
9
14
7
0
0
4
44
0
11
11
11
0
11
0
11
0
43
7
5
25
5
7
7
0
0
2
31
8
8
23
8
8
8
0
0
7
50
0
0
0
14
18
5
9
0
5
48
4
7
7
11
11
7
4
54
0
8
8
12
12
4
4
57
4
6
19
5
6
3
1
59
5
7
9
9
9
2
-
38
0
12
0
12
26
0
0
0
12
41
3
9
16
13
6
3
0
6
3
33
0
0
0
0
33
0
33
0
0
About half of the local managers rate their market as excellent, a “9” or “10,” while 2007 gross
sales for these markets ranged from $177,000 to more than 25 times that amount. Five managers
give their market a “7” overall, with 2007 market sales ranging from $40,000 to $400,000. One
manager gives a candidly low “1” to a 6-year-old market that has decided to stop operating.
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IV.
Characteristics of Successful Farmers Markets
What Defines Success: A Farmer View
What is success? From a farmer perspective, a successful market may be directly correlated to
sales. A rule of thumb: farmers markets with more farmers have longer seasons, greater total
sales, and higher weekly sales per vendor. Farmers tend to focus on the last figure – their own
sales.
The Portland PSU market, for instance, had vendor sales averaging nearly $1,100 per week in
2007, followed by four markets – Hillsdale, Hollywood, Portland Downtown and Interstate – that
all averaged between $700-$1,000 per vendor, with PSU and Hillsdale both operating 38
weeks. A second tier of four markets with total sales between $200,000-$300,000 – Eastbank,
Moreland, Ecotrust and Montavilla – all had average vendor sales between $500-$600 weekly.
The smallest markets were at $300 per vendor and below.
These figures reflect and reinforce the importance of sales for some vendors as indicated in the
farmer interviews. Certain farmers need a minimum of $1,000-$1,500 to justify continued selling
at a given market, or they will leave it to others who have a lower sales threshold. Thus, in any
given market a grower with the right products and less competition might do well.
Market Research
San Luis Obispo County was designated by Demographics Daily as the best test market in the
United States, representing a microcosm of the country. Researchers studying 19 farmers markets
there found that farmers market customers are more likely than non-shoppers to attend for: highquality, good value for the money, specialty items, buying from farmers, socializing,
entertainment, shopping area stores, and organic produce. Both shoppers and non-shoppers have
two major reasons for not shopping: inconvenient times (28%) and problematic parking (20%).
These strengths and weaknesses were similar to those of a North Carolina study. Other reasons
for not shopping at farmers markets are distance from home (14%), buying all food at the same
time (14%), no use for such products (4%), and a variety of other reasons (Wolf, Spittler and
Ahern, 2005).
Non-shoppers’ reasons for attending a farmers market are smaller in number and differently
prioritized (than shoppers above) as follows: to eat (45%), socializing (40%), entertainment
(38%), high quality (36%), good value (35%), shop area stores (27%), direct from farmers
(23%), special events (21%), organic produce (18%) and local wines (9%) (Wolf).
When asked why they didn’t buy more, shoppers at four farmers markets in Oregon and
Washington (see below) cited a variety of reasons: running out of cash, not able to carry more,
high prices, not enough time and lack of availability. Markets can respond with ATMs on-site or
encourage farmers to have debit machines, provide convenient pick-up zones, do further research
on price sensitivity, and increase product availability.
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Reasons for Not Buying More at Four Oregon/Washington Farmers Markets
Nothing, I got what I wanted
Ran out of cash
Couldn’t carry more
Price is too high
Ran out of time
Couldn't find what I wanted
Beaverton
45%
17%
15%
10%
7%
6%
Columbia City West Seattle
59%
59%
31%
18%
8%
10%
5%
9%
3%
3%
3%
1%
Tacoma
36%
22%
10%
3%
16%
13%
Source: Rapid Market Assessments (Lev, Stephenson and Brewer) and Corum (2008).
Tacoma was studied in late May, 2008 when product selection was limited. It was difficult to
intercept the rushed downtown lunchtime workers at this Thursday market, which explains the high
16% who ran out of time and 13% who couldn’t find what they wanted. Their lower objections to
price compared to the other three markets may result from a fairly high number of aboveaverage-income workers downtown (Corum 2008).
Another California farmers market study (Alameda) showed that half of customers didn’t buy
more because they ran out of money or had too much to carry. Lack of variety affected 11%,
high prices 9%, poor parking 8%, poor quality 5%, and need for carry-out assistance 4% (Corum
2005).
Comparing to results of earlier studies, results from studies since 2000 show age levels, income
levels and employment status are similar between farmers markets shoppers and non-shoppers
(Wolf). In other words, farmers market customers are fairly representative of the general
population.
Several studies point to a majority of market shoppers coming from one- or two-person
households, so it is not surprising that many urban farmers markets find customers to be spending
$20-25 on average. The San Luis Obispo study shows both market shoppers and non-shoppers
spend $25.37 on produce in a typical week. The study concludes that consumers perceive market
produce as fresher looking, fresher tasting, a higher-quality product, a better value for the
money, more reasonably priced, and more likely to be locally grown, environmentally friendly
and traceable back to the grower or processor when compared to supermarket produce.
However, many consumers do not shop at farmers’ markets due to a lack of convenience,
especially inconvenient times and parking. Shoppers and non-shoppers alike purchase most of
their produce at the supermarket (Wolf).
Various studies have looked at the economic impacts of farmers markets. The four Rapid Market
Assessments referenced below found that the primary reason people are coming to the area is
the farmers market.
Many studies show 30-50% of these farmers market customers combine their market visit with
shopping in area stores. Early market shoppers are more likely to focus on the farmers market
and less on local shopping. Nevertheless, the shoppers who already shop downtown frequently
buy much more there than at the farmers market; the net impact is sometimes that more overall
dollars are spent in downtown than in the farmers market, as in Kirkland, WA and Montpelier, VT
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where downtown sales to farmers market customers exceed their market purchases. Customers in
Port Angeles report purchasing three times as much in downtown as in the local market, perhaps a
function of high tourist activity and low product variety. In other communities like Davis (Corum
2005) and Beaverton (Lev 2002), shoppers spend much less downtown because the market is not
immediately adjacent to a business district. In fact, the venerable downtown Beaverton Bakery
now has a stand in the farmers market attempting to reach market shoppers.
Primary Reason for Coming Downtown
Farmers Market
Work
Restaurants
Shopping
App't/Other
Montpelier VT
Kirkland, WA
Columbia City, OR W Seattle, WA
66%
57%
75%
76%
2%
8%
3%
NA
2%
8%
NA
NA
9%
3%
9%
14%
21%
24%
13%
10%
Source: Rapid Market Assessments (Corum), Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance.
A study of the Ithaca Farmers Market (NY) found the market generates 200 jobs between fulltime and part-time, seasonal and year-round employment. The Ithaca market also generates
$942,000 in pre-market purchases by vendors within seven Ithaca businesses and seven county
businesses. Including post-market purchases, the vendor impact alone is $1.26 million per year
(Ithaca, 2007).
A Seattle study notes that for every $100,000 spent at a farmers market, $99,000 stays in the
state and is respent locally at least three times. Farmers markets are good for the local economy!
The Right Combination of Characteristics Builds Community
The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market at Pier 1 in San Francisco is sometimes hailed as the “best in
America” in large part because it has many of California’s best growers, the best selection of
unusual and high quality products, a stellar location on San Francisco Bay, an organizational
mission directed toward education about sustainability, and the entire plan put together by
founder Sibella Kraus, whose personal mission for decades has been to help farmers. The
combination has led to a wonderful community marketplace at the edge of San Francisco Bay
(Jaret, 2008).
A similar combination has caused many market observers to consider the Madison market as
America’s favorite for years. Eating Well magazine (Weinstein and Scarbrough) lists Portland’s
PSU market among the top five farmers markets nationally with Ferry Plaza, Dane County
(Madison, Sunset Valley (Austin) and Union Square (New York City). Admittedly, this is a
popularity poll won by urban markets with more shoppers; but, that is one sign of success.
Every market is a separate creation, a combination of interest, resources and commitment that
make it a distinctive part of its community. The best markets have a combination of extras – a
driven manager, extra community financial resources, a mix of vendors who help attract other
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high-quality vendors, responsive news media, or other aspects – that makes them stand out from
the rest. Building successful markets is an art.
Food culture helps brand a city’s identity. Every city and every market has its own food culture.
All markets have an influence on their community, and some have an influence on the nation, e.g.
Santa Monica where wholesalers may frustrate local restaurant chefs or retail customers by
purchasing limited quantities of unusual items to fly to restaurant gourmands in New York or New
Orleans; or Madison where cheese culture has inspired new cheese producers elsewhere.
Food culture is ubiquitous but unequal. It is constantly changing as food ideas move from place to
place, and new producers come on the scene. The health of any city’s farmers market will help
determine the depth and diversity of its food culture. That health is the result of many factors
working together to influence customer attendance.
With a combined 95 years of farmers’ market management, the five U.S. peer cities market
executives prioritized the following key characteristics for successful market operation on a scale
of one (not important) to ten (very important). Their perspective closely, though not exactly, aligns
with
the
characteristics
deemed
essential
by
Project
for
Public
Spaces
(www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/). The best markets will have a high degree of correlation
with these elements, although a market could miss one and still have success.
Key Characteristics of
Successful Farmers Markets
Vendors
Product mix
Location
Mission
Management
Value
Partnerships
Promotion
Economics
Public spaces
10.0
10.0
9.8
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.5
9.0
8.5
7.8
Characteristic 1: Vendors
Vendors make the market, and every city market strives to have the best growers that are
generally in the largest market because they know customers are responding. Two markets that
have relatively the same mix of products will differ based on various attributes of their growers:
the quality of products, available volume, prices, signage, presentation, salesmanship, friendliness,
and integrity. Not all growers are created equal.
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Good markets reflect the seasons as growers come and go with short-season crops. Customers
learn the subtle shifts of seasonal local agriculture when the market is truly a reflection of what
people have now, not what they can get from somewhere else to stretch their season.
While rural markets seem to need and benefit from a vendor mix that includes craftspeople,
urban markets tend to do best with farmers and food producers only. Peer cities executives agree
that crafts detract from the market; an occasional manager will validate the benefit of an expert
artisan. The consumer wants to be enthralled by food alone, if there are enough vendors.
Characteristic 2: Product Mix
Customers expect much more diversity in the product selection today than they did a decade ago,
and markets are providing a better mix. The Portland Farmers Market had about 1,000
customers at its original Albers Mill site. When it moved to PSU in 1998, it grew rapidly from 35
to 100+ vendors, along with an expansion in its customer base. The current 11,000-customer
weekly average may have been possible years earlier with the right mix of products and
competition within product categories.
When management allows competition within product categories, an essential element for market
growth is freed to develop. The temptation toward protectionism is strongest in smaller markets
for fear of losing a good vendor if they allow another to enter. Unfortunately, the customer is not
considered in this equation. Customers enjoy great selection at New Seasons Market, Whole
Foods, Safeway, Albertsons, Trader Joe’s, food cooperatives or most anywhere they shop.
Presented with only one tomato or cheese or bread source, they are unimpressed. The desire to
support local farms is not enough; for a market to truly succeed, there must be customer choice.
When farmers markets open to more competition, customer numbers grow, which leads to still
further increases in competition and product diversity as new producers seek to differentiate
themselves and capitalize on market growth. These waves of new producers and products
accelerated by special events and customer numbers can become a tidal surge pushing the
market to greater success, if space and parking allow.
Characteristic 3: Site
The site should have at least 20,000 square feet of space for 50 vendors and customer aisles,
less if vendors download and park off-site. More space allows for expansion as word-of-mouth
builds the customer base. Being visible to a heavily trafficked street cuts down on the need for
advertising; in the case of Santa Monica, they do no advertising and have a $6 million market.
Many other factors need to be considered (see next section for The Best Site Characteristics) but
key are sufficient space, parking, and visibility.
Parking alone is rated a “9” on the importance scale by market executives. Many markets know
the value of large parking lots or structures. St. Paul has 3,500 spaces and Santa Monica more
than 3,000. The Torrance, CA market has 600 spaces at a sports complex for both vendor and
customer parking, which seems to be enough for continual vehicular turnover on a Tuesday, but it
may limit continued growth. Beaverton, OR draws up to 18,000 customers with on-street parking
extending in all directions; it tries to address the convenience-oriented shopper with three pick-up
zones. On the other hand, Union Square Greenmarket in New York City has little immediate
parking but a subway stop leads as many as 100,000 people into the market four days a week.
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Site permanence helps build the customer base as long as the site is strong. Losing a site can
prove a boon as the Portland Farmers Market found when higher rent forced it off its waterfront
location at Albers Mill after seven years; the PSU location has allowed for vendor and customer
expansion and provided the economics to allow for paid professional management.
Characteristic 4: Mission
A clear organizational mission is vital to success. Frequently, a mission is aimed at improving
farmers’ livelihood, establishing a viable relationship between producers and consumers, or
building a community gathering place. A secondary goal may be downtown revitalization. If the
initial mission is accomplished, there will be pedestrian traffic that may overflow into a local
business district. However, a downtown association trying to improve local business may make
misdirected decisions that lead to the market suffering and the ultimate goal not being reached.
Even if the mission is multi-directional, it should clearly address key reasons why people attend
farmers markets: high-quality, good value, specialty items and organic.
There is a basic need to balance farmers and consumers in large enough numbers to sustain the
market. As markets grow in size there may be more community interest in envisioning a space that
is more permanent, with protection from sun and rain.
Certain markets have focused on low-income populations with mixed success. A city’s ethnic makeup influences the vendor base and the programs created within the market, whether to serve the
Vietnamese eastside of New Orleans, the Latino neighborhoods in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, or
the mixed ethnicity of downtown Oakland. This same sensitivity could be applied to more
ethnically mixed neighborhoods within Portland.
Characteristic 5: Management
Just as with any business or nonprofit, market founders are critical for market start-up, and after
a certain period new vision and leadership may be necessary to take the market to a new level.
The best markets have a manager who can connect, listen, vision, partner, delegate, empower,
inspire and implement.
The founders of the first Portland farmers market in 1991 – Craig Mosbaek, Ted Snider and
Richard Hagan – had vision and dedication. Along with 13 vendors that grew to 35, they built a
loyal following along the Willamette. When the market moved to PSU, they took the plunge
toward sustainability by hiring a paid manager, Dianne Stefani-Ruff. This is a normal pattern,
according to OSU researchers, that happens in the transition from being a small to medium-sized
market as volunteers become exhausted, and management must become professional to ensure
smooth market operation. Stefani-Ruff’s hard work and Portland’s success led to the operation of
four markets, the size increases bringing greater management complexity and requiring more
management tools.
Markets need to have strong boards who avoid micro-management and complement a strong
manager who listens to advice and is highly self-motivated. With greater size, boards develop
committees to raise funds, connect with the larger community, envision the ultimate impacts and
plan or implement new programs.
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The board of the Dane County Farmers Market in Madison, WI established rules years ago
precluding growers from selling anything they don’t grow themselves. Farmers found buying from
another farmer or wholesaler to stretch their season or recover from a crop loss have been
ejected from the market, with no chance of return. This absolute rule has given the consumer
confidence that they are, indeed, buying from the real farmer.
Characteristic 6: Value
Markets are proving their value in addressing America’s health crisis in a preventive way. Twothirds of adults in Multnomah County are characterized by health professionals as obese or
overweight. One-third of all children born in 2000 will develop Type II diabetes. The Interstate
market’s development by Kaiser Permanente and the OHSU market are direct responses to these
alarming nutritional trends. Countless markets are addressing the issue through a variety of
programs: the 5-A-Day program, chef and gardening demonstrations, Taste the Market, school
farm and market tours, farmer school talks, and Ask the Dietician.
By their shopping habits, customers show they value the quality and price offered by local
farmers they trust over unknown sources. This, even though markets are often less convenient. Cities
gain value through local vendors who rotate dollars in the local economy and attract tourists to
participate in local food culture. They honor the markets’ value to the city – as done throughout
history – by helping with sites, promotion, training, micro-enterprise development and other
aspects toward permanence.
In San Luis Obispo, California, the farmers market created value in a Williams Brothers
supermarket lot until the market was invited to add a Thursday evening market downtown to
address a cruising problem; for decades, again, Thursdays have been good for business; one
national music store had its most successful opening day anywhere on Thursday in SLO. In
Bellingham, Washington, the market was of such value to the community that the City found most
of the funding for a $2.7 million pavilion development on a City-owned parking lot. As is often
the case, policymakers respond to what customers value.
A San Luis Obispo study concluded that consumers perceive farmers market produce as fresher
looking, fresher tasting, a higher-quality product, a better value for the money, more reasonably
priced, and more likely to be locally grown, environmentally friendly and traceable when
compared to supermarket produce.
Characteristic 7: Partnerships
Partnerships are a key to building credibility within the community. The Local Food Web diagram
clearly demonstrates the linkages connecting a variety of producers and marketing options with a
diverse number of user groups within a local food system.
The web of farmers markets in Portland is most closely connected with regional agriculture, CSA
farms, markets outside of Portland, local grocers, restaurants, caterers, food cooperatives, area
consumers, microenterprise development efforts and food banks. The local food system also
includes school food service programs as well as school, community and home gardens. It is
loosely welded together by various connective gatherings including the Farmer-Chef Connection
each March, the Farm Direct Marketing Conference, Portland Area Community Supported
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Agriculture Coalition (PACSAC), Chefs Collaborative, Slow Food movement, the PSU local food
café, and countless meals with family and friends.
Other users benefit from visibility and connections in the market. Local businesses, educational
institutions, politicians and nonprofit organizations may all sponsor the market or have booth
space.
The Buy Local movement is beginning to influence Portland grocers and food service directors,
who recognize the taste difference and want to supply these local items to school children. The
linkages created within farmers markets continue to expand in various areas of the country. This is
a healthy sign that the local agriculture community is openly engaged with other economic and
community entities in forming a larger local food system beneficial to all.
It is not uncommon for the local business community to perceive the market as benefiting primarily
farmers outside the community. The board of the Davis, CA market and manager Randii MacNear
addressed this issue by developing relationships that would establish the market as a vital part of
the community. MacNear became involved with the Davis Downtown Business Association and
ultimately served as president of the Davis Chamber of Commerce. Hundreds of community
organizations gain visibility and raise funds each year, so that now the market is a community
showcase that exemplifies all that Davis is. While community partnerships have been a key focus,
the market does not fall short in other areas; it has a strong base of quality vendors with good
product diversity, farmers and others constantly creating new value-added products, local ethnic
entrepreneurs, a Central Park location next to an English garden and community center, a 35year history and a committed board of directors who have honed their mission.
It is those market characteristics and community partnerships that led the City of Davis to build a
270’ x 35’ market pavilion in gratitude for the market’s first 15 years of service to the community.
There are two water features, a playground, and a seating area and stage built around the old
oak tree that make the structure much more than simply an open-air, clerestory market building. It
is Davis community central – the quintessential community market with something for everyone.
Characteristic 8: Promotion
While advertising can be effective, it is challenging on the low budget of many farmers markets.
It is often seen as a complement to other outreach avenues. Promotion is a way to stretch limited
dollars, especially when used with entertainment and special events. According to one study,
entertainment motivates 44% and events 26% of farmers market shoppers and non-shoppers
combined.
With financial constraints, managers become guerrilla
marketers. They build partnerships which allow them
to reach new population targets. Events allow
businesses to support the market and gain visibility.
Santa Monica rotates each of four restaurants within
one block of the market through their only hot food
booth. It holds regular events, hosts a Market Chef
booth and has a weekly, on-air NPR interview to give
a market update about what’s new that day.
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During Dianne Stefani-Ruff’s nine-year tenure at the PSU market, the customer base increased
more than 1,000% as she created events and increased competition in numerous categories. The
“Summer Loaf” event at the PSU market became the largest bread festival in the United States.
Cheese also became fertile competitive ground and, not surprisingly, cheese makers from five
states celebrated their art at Portland’s first “Wedge” event in October, 2007. The PSU market
has been so successful with special events that it has largely shifted them to its sister Ecotrust and
Eastbank markets to draw crowds and media attention.
Characteristic 9: Economics
The marketplace is a finely balanced see-saw of supply and demand. If there are too few
farmers, customers won’t come. If there are too few customers, farmers won’t come. With the
opening of the market, the die is cast for the market to grow or decline. Experience shows up to
half of new markets fail within four years, so careful planning of market size is really necessary
for success.
The economics of the market are determined by a budget that flows from the size of the market.
Market operators need to develop a budget that pinpoints the minimum number of vendors and
consumers required to fund market expenses. These expenses include any site fees, insurance,
parking, advertising, promotion, manager and assistant salaries, signage, barricades, etc.
A 1995 American Vegetable Grower magazine article, “Community is Key to Market Success,”
pointed out, “A market with fewer than 12 growers will struggle – the more growers the more
successful the market.” The standard has risen since that article; consumers expect more vendors.
Research in Oregon and other states confirms that without at least 20 growers, the threshold
necessary to support paid staff, most markets can survive only through volunteer goodwill.
Researchers at Oregon State University have categorized micro markets as 5-8 vendors, small
markets as 9-30, medium markets as 31-55 and large markets as 55-90 vendors. About half of
micro and small markets are run by volunteers; some are funded by grants or a city. All medium
and large Oregon markets have paid managers, albeit not necessarily full-time.
The standard for success is higher in urban areas where consumers tend to be less forgiving
because they have so much choice in markets to attend, including supermarkets, box stores,
specialty markets and farmers markets. Small markets make it challenging for a manager to have
a viable salary. For long-term sustainability a market appears to need at least 30 vendors, but
probably not until reaching 50 will the market economics truly work out to provide suitable
compensation to sustain a manager over the years. Managers of small and medium-size markets
in Portland validate this perspective with their low years of experience and concern about their
personal financial security. The average tenure for managers in Portland is about 1.5 years, with
only four markets having held their manager more than a year. This tenure figure is influenced by
last year’s departure of the manager for four markets. In general, large markets do not face the
same staffing challenges; their salaries and benefits start to become competitive.
The other option for sustainable market economics is to increase the cost per vendor to cover all
management expenses. Competition among markets in a city tends to keep fees in line or vendors
may not support the market. For larger markets, fee increases may be sustainable to maintain
potentially higher costs of operation.
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Characteristic 10: Public Spaces
The Portland Farmers Market was asked in 1997 to open a farmers market in Pioneer Courthouse
Square. A consultant was hired to coordinate the farmers and virtually no publicity was necessary
because the square is the heart of downtown. An immediate success with downtown workers, the
market was soon larger than its 6-year-old mother market still located at Albers Mill. Part of its
charm was the public nature of the brick space with fountain and statue, anchored by Powell’s
Books and Starbucks, and host to many food carts serving daily lunch.
In 1998 that Wednesday market moved to Shemanski Park, just as the Saturday market moved
from its Willamette River site to its current PSU location. Both of these public properties in
Portland’s South Park Blocks have characteristics that draw people in and allow them to stay a
while. Some people want or need to shop and quickly leave the market, but for others it is an
experience to savor and healthy public spaces help them to do that.
Cities across America have become increasingly aware of the benefits that local markets provide.
In 2006, the City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin built a U-shaped market building on park land along
the Chippewa River, 216’ on the back and 96’ on the wings. The City of Puyallup, Washington
built a multi-use Pioneer Park Pavilion at the site of its farmers market; the City rents the pavilion
for weddings, parties and other functions and has made substantial revenue.
These cities – like Bellingham, Olympia, Pasco, Davis and many others – decided to use public
property and funds to establish a permanent home for their farmers market, usually after some
years of operation.
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Portland Farmers Markets/Direct-Market Economic Analysis
Peer Cities Market Managers Interviewed
Laura Avery, Farmers Market Supervisor Santa Monica Farmers’ Markets
Dan Best, Executive Director
Sacramento Farmers Markets
Chris Curtis, Executive Director
Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance (Seattle)
Jack Gerten, Executive Director
St. Paul Farmers Market
John Silveira, Executive Director
Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association (Bay Area)
Portland Market Manager Interview Participants
Eecole Copen
OHSU Farmers Market
Jaret Foster
Portland Farmers Markets
Tom Griffin-Valade
North Portland Community Works (Interstate FM)
David Hudson
Lloyd Farmers Market
Gretchan Jackson
Montavilla Farmers Market
Ariana Jacob
Peoples Farmers Market
Jill Krueger
Lents International Farmers Market
Daurie Mangan-Dimuzio
Hollywood Farmers Market
Eamon Molloy
Hillsdale Farmers Market
Bob New and Kevin McGovney
Interstate Farmers Market
Liz Shannon
Alberta Farmers Market
Laura Wendell
Moreland Farmers Market
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Resources
Certified Farmers’ Markets of Sacramento website, http://www.california-grown.com/
City of Santa Monica website, http://www.smgov.net/farmers_market/
Cook, R., Morgan, D., Radenovic, H. and Renzi, S., “Seattle Food System Enhancement Project,”
Program on the Environment Certificate in Environmental Management Keystone Project, 2006-7,
http://courses.washington.edu/emksp06/SeattleFoodSystem/Final_Neighborhood_Report.pdf
Corum, V., “Alameda Farmers’ Market Customer Survey,” August, 2005. Private research for
Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association by Farmers’ Markets America.
Corum, V., Conversation with manager Ginger Rapport, June 14, 2008, Beaverton Farmers
Market.
Corum, V., “Tacoma Farmers’ Market Customer Survey,” May, 2008. Private research for Tacoma
Farmers Market by Farmers’ Markets America.
Corum, V., Rosenzweig, M., and Gibson, E., The New Farmers’ Market: Farm-Fresh Ideas for
Producers, Managers & Communities, March, 2001. New World Publishing, Auburn, CA.
Davis Farmers Market (CA) website, http://www.davisfarmersmarket.org/
Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market (WI) website, http://www.ecdowntownfarmersmarket.com/
Ghose, J. and Holland, D, "The Role of Agriculture and Food Processing in the Washington
Economy: An Input-Output Perspective", WSU, August 2004,
http://www.impact.wsu.edu/publications/tech_papers/pdf/04-114.pdf
Greenmarket (NYC) website, http://www.cenyc.org/greenmarket/
Hillsdale Farmers Market website, http://www.hillsdalefarmersmarket.com/
Hollywood Farmers Market website, http://www.hollywoodfarmersmarket.org/
Ithaca Farmers Market, “Highlights 2007 Ithaca Farmers Market Vendor Survey,” December,
2007, private research for Ithaca Farmers Market.
Jaret, P., The Best Farmers Market in America: You Won’t Leave Your Artichoke Hearts in San
Francisco, April, 2008, Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine,
http://www.spiritmag.com/2008_04/features/ft3.php.
Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance website, http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/
Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association (CA) website, http://www.pcfma.com/
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Portland Farmers Market website, http://www.portlandfarmersmarket.org/
Project for Public Spaces, http://www.pps.org/great_public_spaces/
Rapid Market Assessments conducted in Oregon by Larry Lev, Garry Stephenson and Linda
Brewer (see Oregon State University Small Farms Technical Reports) and in Washington,
California, New York and Vermont by Vance Corum under Washington State University and his
private firm, Farmers’ Markets America.
St. Paul Farmers Market (MN) website, http://www.stpaulfarmersmarket.com/
Stephenson, G., Lev, L., and Brewer, L., “Understanding the Link Between Farmers’ Market Size
and Management Organization,” December, 2007. Oregon State University Special Report No.
1082. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/sr/sr1082-e.pdf
Stephenson, G. and Lev, L., “Common Support for Local Agriculture in Two Contrasting Oregon
Communities,”
June,
2004.
Renewable
Agriculture
and
Food
Systems.
http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/techreports/TechReport1.pdf
Stephenson, G. and Lev, L., “Rapid Assessment of Five Oregon Farmers’ Markets: Quantitative
Results,” March, 2001. Oregon State University Extension, Oregon Small Farms Tech. Report No. 3
http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/techreports/TechReport3.pdf
Weinstein, B. and Scarbrough, M., “America’s Top Farmers’ Markets,” 2008, Eating Well
magazine, http://www.eatingwell.com/eat_drink/fresh_inseason/farmers_market.html
Winton, R. and Groves, M., “Santa Monica Crash Payouts Reach $21 Million,” May 22, 2008,
L.A.Times, http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-market22-2008may22,0,5516449.story
Wolf, M., Spittler, A. and Ahern, J., “A Profile of Farmers’ Market Consumers and the Perceived
Advantages of Produce Sold at Farmers’ Markets,” March, 2005. Journal of Food Distribution
Research, http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/26768/1/36010192.pdf
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